Bicycle-brake.



No. 647,44l. Patnte'd Apr. l0, I900.

F. L. CLAPP.

BICYCLE BRAKE. (Ap zlication filed July 28, 1599.1

2 Sheets-Sheat I.

(No Modal.)

l/VVENTOR K WITNESSES Atlorney THE Noam: PETERS 00.. mmuma, wnsumsfoNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK L. CLAPP, OF NORTHAMPTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OF TlVO- THIRDSTO. GEORGE DrL YTLE, OF MIDDLETOWN, CONNECTICUT, AND HENRY A. PAULL, OFNEW YORK, N. Y.

BICYCLE-BRAKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of LettersPatent ivo. e47,441, dated April10, ,1900.

Application filed July 28,'18?9. Serial No. 725,395., (No model.)

To all whom zit 12mg concern: Be it known thatI, FRANK L. CLAPP, acitizen of the United States, residing at Northampton,in the county ofHampshire and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Bicycle-Brakes,

of which the'following is a specification, re'ftions of mechanicalelements, many of which elements are old in other relations.

The novel features are intended to be distinctly pointed out in theclaims.

Figure 1 is a front or rear elevation of part of a wheel-hub with thebrake applied. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the hub, showing theconnection which may embrace'theframe. Fig. 3 is a broken verticalsection of the wheelhub with brake attached. Fig. 4 is asection of thehub, brake, and ring about on line at 4:, Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is an endelevation of the brake levers, their ring-support, and the clutchconnection which permits the hub to rotate at proper 5 times. Fig. 6 isa side elevation of same. Fig. 7 is an elevation of the hub-drivingclutch. Fig. 8 is a section or plan of-the brake-levers and connection.Figs. 9 and 10 are aface View and a section of the wear-ring. Figs. 11and 12 are a plan and an elevation of the springcarrying locking-wedges.Fig; 13 is an elevation of a brake-lever.

The hub 1 for the rear wheel of the bicycle has bearings 2 3, in whichthe antifrictionballs 4 are inclosed, and the axle 5 passes through suchbearings, being secured thereto by screw-thread, as is common. A toothedclutch member 6 is screwed to the wheel-hub, this clutch member havingratchet-teeth, and

I between the teeth are short cylinders 7 ,pressed outward along theouter faces of the inclines by springs 8. The clutch member 6 is inclosed in the annular or sprocket wheel 10, said s procket-wlfeel havingan inturned flange of a little less thickness than the clutch member 6,and the inner edge of this flange and the clutchmember are inclosedbetween flat rings or washers 11 and 12,which fit the hub. The shortcylinders 7 have their ends close to these rings, so that the wheel 6becomes practically a part of the hub, and the clutchis arranged withinthe sprocket-wheel 10, asusual, so thata forward movement of thesprocketwheel engages] the clutch and causes the hub to move forward,while a, backward movement of the sprocket unclutches the clutch bypushing the cylinders 7 along the outer face ofteetliofwheel 6 andpermits the sprocketwheel to rotate" backward without moving the clutchmember 6; Therefore, the

forwardmov'ement ofthe sprocket-wheel drives thewheel forwardfwhile thereverse movement perm-its' the sprocket-wheel (or it maybe another thana sprocket-driver) to run loose on the hub so far ashas been described.As the ring 19 drives by its inside engagement it is apparent that it isquite immaterial whether this ring is driven by the engagement ofadriviug-motor with teeth called sprocket-teeth on the exterior of saidring or whether it be driven by any other mechanism, as is common inthis art.

On the hub 1 there is secured or, otherwise connecteda strong ring 15.This ring may be screwed onto the hub by a suitable Wrench engagingnotches 16 in the ring.- The thread by which the rin g engages the hubis cut in such direction that the application of the brake, ashereinafter described, tends to tighten the ring on the hub.

The drive-wheel 1O hasits cup part 20 extending outside of andconcentric with ring 15. Between this cup or ring 20 and ring 15 thereis an annular space which contains brake-levers 21, preferably three ormore in number. These levers are connected by pivots 22 to thebushing-ring 30,which ring neatly fits the inside of cup 20. The levers21 are curvedwedges, preferably of about the form shown. A spider orbroken spring-ring 35 has pintles 36 for three short cylinders 37. Thespider is of such elasticity that it will hold the cylinders 37 againstthe inner face of cup 20, these short cylinders being free to turn ontheir pintles. Now suppose the direction of rotation of cup 20 of thesprocket or driving wheel to be in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 4,the friction-of the outer ring will carry the rolls 37 along up theinclines of the brake-levers 21, and thereby compress such brake-leverswith a most-powerful pressure onto the ring 15 This is what happens whenthe sprocket-wheel is driven backward by back-pedaling, thedriving-clutch being uncoupled,-as has been explained. As ring is fastto the hub, a braking effect is at once exerted on the wheel by suchbackpedaling; but when the cup is reversed its movement carries therolls 37 into the position shown in dotted lines, Fig. 8, when there isno binding of the brake-levers 21 on the ring 15.

The spider is loose as regards the casing and merely holds the rolls 37to working position and will itself yield by its elasticity and alsorock about the hub or casing far enough to permit the necessary movementof rolls 37,

carried on the pintles'of the spider.

The bushing-ring 30 has its inner edge between the tings or washers 40and 41, which washers surround the axle 5 A clutch member 60, similar tothe member 6, is firmly conof the wheel.

nected to plates 40 41, leaving spaces outside the teeth of the clutchmember in which the short cylinders are pressed out by springs 80. Theplate 40 has an arm 44, which by loop 45 or by other convenientconnection is fastened to the frame of the machine.

If it be desirable to move the bicycle backward, the ring 30, not beinglocked by the clutch to clutch member 60, may rotate backward, thewheel-hub and sprocket at that time being locked together and locked toring 30, which ring is, however, free to turn backward. The ring 30 isheld to clutch member 60 at all times, except when the wheel is rotatingin backward direction. When the wheel is running in forward direction,the tendency of the ring 15 on the hub, by engaging the brakeshoes, isto move or rotate the brake-shoes and ring 30 in forward direction,which forward movement is prevented by the clutch engagement betweenring 30'and clutch member 60.

4 I am not aware of any other back-pedaling brake which permits thebackward rotation The wheel is usually locked against such rotation,which is sometimes an inconvenience.

My brakeis applicable to a large proportion of the wheel-hubs as nowconstructed. The brake operates quickly and noiselessly and places thewheel-brake well under control by the pedals.

\Vhat I claim is 1. In a brake of the character described, thedriving-ringand clutch connectionsadapted to engage with the wheel-hubasdescribed, wedge-shaped levers inside said driving-ring and pivotallyheld to a support within the driving-ring, a brake-ring on the hub onwhich said wedge-levers may bear, and means operated by the reversemovement of the driving-rin g to compress said levers on the brakering,all combined substantially as described.

2. In a brake mechanism of the character described, the combination withthe hub, of a brake-ring fixed thereto, wedge-arms having a bearing onsaid ring, a spider-shaped spring, bearing-rolls in position to bear onsaid wedge-arms, and the driving-ring surrounding and bearing on saidrolls, all combined substantially as described.

3. In a brake as described, the hub,

sprocket-wheel, and intermediate clutch, the

brake compressed onto the hub by the reversal. of the movement of thesprocket-wheel, and a second clutch connecting said brake to the frameand releasing it and the hub when the wheel is turned backward, allcombined substantially as described.

4. In a bicycle-brake mechanism, a compression-brake acting on the hubby the back pedaling of the driver, a clutch mechanism at the end of thehub and inclosed by the ring of the'driver, and means for connecting onemember of this clutch with the frame of the wheel, all combinedsubstantially as described.

5. In a bicycle-brake, the hub, driving clutch member, ring-driver, andinterposed driving-pieces, the wedging brake-arms act ing on a partofthe hub, the rolls acting on said wedging-arms and carried by aspringpiece to hold said rolls in contact with the ring-driver, abushing-ring to which said wedging-arms are pivoted, and a clutchengaging said bushing-ring with the frame when the driving-ring ismoving forward, all combined substantially as described.

6. In a back-pedaling brake, the combination with the driving-ring, ofaclutch inclosed by said ring and engaging with the hub, a second clutchinclosed by the ring and engaging with the frame under conditionsdescribed, and a compression-brake engaging with the driving-ring, andactingon the hub when the driving-ring moves backward, all substantiallyas described. I

7. In a bicycle-brake, the driving-ring, wheel-hub, and a brakeoperating on the hub by the back movement of the driving-ring,

combined with a clutch, one member of which is permanently connectedwith the frame, and another member connected to the brake and free tomove therewith when the wheel is rotated in backward direction, allcombined substantially as described.

8. The spider in form of a broken elastic ring, and having pintlescarrying rolls as 37,

for use in combination with the Wedge-arms In testimony whereof I aifixmy signature and driving-ring, substantially as described. in presenceof two witnesses.

' 9. The rin 30 the curved Wed 'e-arms connected therzto, the inolosingriving-ring BRANK OLAPP' 5 and the short cylinders bearing on said arms,Witnesses:

in combination with the brake-ring on the EDMUND O. MURPHY,

wheel-hub, substantially as described. JOSEPH T. ELLIOTT.

